Evolution

Have you ever wondered what has happened in the world of model making from the time of Leonardo da Vinci to the present day? I don’t want to go through hundreds of years here in a monotonous way, but I’d like to explain a few key points.

In 1848 in England, a man named John Stringfellow built a motorized model triplane that was capable of flight and took off from a ramp.

In 1877 in Italy, Mr. Enrico Forlanini in Milan developed a steam-powered helicopter with counter-rotating rotors.

A leap toward the beginnings of model aircraft as we know them today began around 1913 with simple models powered by “rubber-band engines”—using rubber bands.

Unfortunately, World War I slowed further development. The 1930s were marked by the first remote-controlled models, though obviously not at our current level of sophistication.

Then came World War II, bringing entirely new breakthroughs in the field of aerodynamics.

Naturally, this new knowledge contributed to the resurgence that began in the 1950s.

Throughout all these years, construction technology has never stood still. From simple wooden models with paper and paint, then silk, and wood glue. Today, there is a wide variety of special adhesives of every kind.

Even the simplest tools were used for fabrication—such as hand saws and hand drills, to name just a few.

In 1966, Graupner launched the first proportional remote control as we know it today. It still uses the same technology.

And today? Things have become much more modern. Starting with the materials—in addition to wood, all the new products like GFK, CFK, Depron, etc.—which may or may not make things easier.

Your choice depends on the item. Sometimes it even confuses the manufacturer.

And let’s not forget all the modern machine tools available.

It has never been easier to bring your vision to life—down to the finest details—for an airplane or helicopter than it is today.

If you don’t feel like building your model from scratch, there’s a wide selection of model kits or ready-made models.

This article makes no claim to complexity; these are just a few of my thoughts during a period of inactivity. Evolution.

Photos: Leonardo da Vinci (Internet), Wolfgang Völler (Huttwil 2017, Lodrino 2012, 2015).